Like many college students, money is in short supply for Komi Kossi, and a flight to Nairobi costs well over $1,000.

However, the university is stepping up to help him get home.

"Honestly, he appeared as if he wanted to cry. It was very disheartening when he explained he had lost his mother and father," said classmate Dianna Anderson.

Anderson said she was in two justice administration classes with Kossi this semester.

She found out about the terrible tragedy in the first year graduate student's life when Kossi asked her for a favor.

"He said 'These are books I borrowed from our professor, could you return them?' And I said 'Sure, you don't need them anymore?' And he said 'No, unfortunately I had to withdraw from classes today,'" said Anderson.

On Saturday, about a dozen gunmen began their four-day attack on the West Gate Mall in Nairobi.

UofL Justice Administration Chair Deborah Keeling said Kossi's father was killed in the initial wave of violence and his mother died several days later.

"This mall incident was a tragic event and we were all impacted by it as we watched it go down on television, but then when you find out one of your own has two family members who were killed, that makes it something very personal and close to home," said Keeling.

Keeling said they are giving Kossi the $500 maximum out of the university's emergency fund so he can get home.

She's also hopeful he'll be reimbursed for the $10,000 in tuition.

Keeling and Anderson said they are proud that members of the university are rallying around a fellow Cardinal.

"It was just kind of heartbreaking to know that if it was my family members I would want to be there," said Anderson.

Kossi plans on coming back to school to resume his studies in the spring.

Anyone who would like to help him make the journey home can call the UofL Justice Administration Department at 502-852-6567.

The terrorist group al-Shabab is claiming responsibility for the deadly siege.

Five militants were killed in the attacks and several others are in custody.

At least 18 foreigners are among the 67 people killed.

That number is expected to grow as crews find bodies in the rubble of the partially collapsed mall.

I'M VICKI DORTCH. A UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE GRADUATE STUDENT IS TRYING TO GET HOME... AFTER HIS PARENTS WERE KILLED IN THE TERRORIST ATTACK ON A KENYAN MALL. MORE THAN 70 PEOPLE ARE REPORTED DEAD IN THE MASSACRE. W-L-K-Y' S DREW D OUGLAS I S LIVE ON THE U-OF-L CAMPU S WI TH THE STORY ... DREW ? LIKE MANY COLLEGE STUDENTS... MONEY IS IN SHORT SUPPLY FOR KOMI KOSSI... AND A FLIGHT TO NAIROBI COSTS WELL OVER A THOUSAND BUCKS. HOWEVER...THE UNIVERSITY IS STEPPING UP...TO HELP HIM GET HOME. SOT DIANNA ANDERSON SAYS SHE WAS IN TWO JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION CLASSES WITH KOMI KOSSI THIS SEMESTER. SHE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE TERRIBLE TRAGEDY IN THE FIRST YEAR GRADUATE STUDENT'S LIFE... WHEN KOSSI ASKED HER FOR A FAVOR. ON SATURDAY...AROUND A DOZEN GUNMEN BEGAN THEIR FOUR DAY ATTACK ON THE WEST GATE MALL IN NAIROBI. U OF L JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION CHAIR DEBORAH KEELING SAYS KOSSI'S FATHER WAS KILLED IN THE INITIAL WAVE OF VIOLENCE. HIS MOTHER DIED SEVERAL DAYS LATER. KEELING SAYS THEY ARE GIVING KOSSI THE 500 DOLLAR MAXIMUM... OUT OF THE UNIVERSITY'S EMERGENCY FUND... SO HE CAN GET HOME. SHE'S ALSO HOPEFUL HE'LL BE REIMBURSED FOR THE 10 GRAND IN TUITION. BOTH KEELING AND ANDERSON SAY THEY ARE PROUD... MEMBERS OF THE UNIVERSITY ARE RALLYING AROUND A FELLOW CARDINAL. AMAZINGLY WE'RE TOLD KOSSI PLANS ON COMING BACK TO SCHOOL TO RESUME HIS STUDIES IN THE SPRING. IF YOU'D LIKE TO HELP HIM MAKE THE JOURNEY HOME...YOU CAN CALL THE JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION AT 852-6567. 852-6567. LIVE ON THE U OF L CAMPUS...DREW DOUGLAS...WLKY NEWS. THANKS DREW. THE TERRORIST GROUP... AL-SHABAB... IS CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEADLY SIEGE. FIVE MILITANTS WERE KILLED IN THE ATTACKS... AND SEVERAL OTHERS ARE IN CUSTODY. AT LEAST 18 FOREIGNERS ARE AMONG THE 67 PEOPLE KILLED. THAT NUMBER IS EXPECTED TO GROW AS CREWS FIND BODIES IN THE RUBBLE OF